Method of making an infusion package with a nontangling handle and tag



Dec. 6, 1949 H. o. IRMSCHER METHOD OF MAKING AN INFUSION PACKAGE WITH A NQNTANGLING'HANDLE AND TAG Fxled May 25 1946 Patented Dec. 6, 1949 METHOD OF MAKING AN INFUSION PACK- AGE 'WITH A NONTANGLING HANDLE AND TAG Hans 0. Irmscher, East Hempstead, vN. Y., assignor to National Um Bag 00., Inc., a corporation of New York Application May 25, 1946, Serial No.672,1'82

4 Claims. (01. 93-2) the form of infusion packages with non-tanglin'g arranged string handles and tags .as inexpensive articles of manufacture, which shall comprise few and simple parts that are easy and "cheap to produce, which shall be capable of quantity production on automatic super high-speed packaging machines, which shall have pressure heat sealed joint seams formed with improved integral means for retaining the string handle and tag thereof temporarily to the bag portion of the package for eliminating tangling, which shall be reliably held in compact position yet positively released from said temporarily retained position without damaging the package or the sealed closure thereof, which shall provide a neat apnearing package, and which shall be practical and efficient to a high degree.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions and method of manufacture hereinafter described and of which the scope of this application will be indicated by the following claims. The subject matter of this invention and application is a continuation of that disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 626,994, filed November 6, 1945, now Patent No. 2,458,169, for Infusion package with non-tangling string handle.

In the accompanying drawing in which are various possible illustrated embodiments of this invention:

Figs. 1 and 2 are front and rear elevational views, respectively, of a tea ball with a nontangling string handle and tag constructed to embody the invention, shown after complete manufacture with the string handle and tag positioned ready for cartoning and as delivered to the consumer.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View of the tea ball shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the handle and tag extended ready for use in brewing, part of the extended string handle shown broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in detail the joint seam slitted means temporarily retaining the string handle in the nontangling position as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View s milar to Fig. 4 showing in modified form a slitted means embodying the invention, and

Figs. '6 and '7 are fragmentary top plan views of portion of a combination stapling and slitting mechanism adapted to be used in the manufacture of the tea ball constructed as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, Fig. 6, showing the jaws of the stapler separated and the slitting blade retracted. and Fig. 7, the jaws in staple setting position with blade cutting simultaneously through the heat sealed joint seam of thetea ball.

Referring to the drawings 2% denotes an improved construction of a filled infusion package in the form of a square shaped tea ball manufactured to embody the invention. As seen from Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the tea ball 2% may comprise a package portion made of a filter strip of filter sheet material folded over on itself to provide a bottom fold edge 2i forming two superimposed layers, that overlyin portions providing the flattened sides of the tea ball 253 which are secured along the marginal areas on the remaining three edge portions at the border closure joint seams or flanges 22, 23 and 2% to completely seal the tea ball bag, thus form-ed, said tea ball package bein partially filled with an essence containing product T, such as tea, which forms the contents thereof.

The strip of sheet material may be supplied from a suitable source in the form of a web of the required web (not shown) in the well understood manner, a sufficient length of said web being cut and folded to form the tea ball. bag. 01', pre-cut strips of the said sheet material of proper shape and length may form such supply source if desired. The sheet material is preferably foraminous construction, as for example, filter paper, perforated parchment paper or cellophane. cotton gauze and the like. That, used in the practice of the invention here described may comprise of a filter paper piece layer coated on one side with a thermo-setting partially insioned plastic lamina of the character described in Manzel Patent No. 2,305,430 granted December 29, 1942, or of other suitable filter sheet piece material formed With a thermmsetting plastic lamina for forming heat sealed border ieint seams or flanges 25 at the top and similar spaced flanges 22 and on opposite sides in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

A suitable filter paper sheet for forming base layer of said sheet material may be made of a vegetable fibrous pulp stock, said layer with thermo-setting coating or lamina being such that when made into the tea ball bag has sufficient wet strength to withstand immersion in boiling water without damage or disintegration and without undue loss of tensile strength. The filtering sheet material comprising the layer and coating when forming the tea ball bags must be such as to permit ready infusion, that is, passage therethrough of the water of immersion for brewing and straining the filling or tea contents T, said layer coating and joint seams 23, 24 and 25 being of such composition that they are nontoxic, insoluble in hot boiling water, and impart no odor or taste even to the slightest degree to the brew.

It has been found in practice that a 6 pound fibrous pulp stock sheet of approximately .001 inch thick of high wet tensile strength forms a practical filter paper layer for the purposes described herein. On such layer a finely powdered copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate may be uniformly sprinkled or sprayed, partially fused by heat to 60 C. and pressure rolled thereon for providing a satisfactory, pervious, dry and extremely thin coating or lamina which does not materially afiect the filtering capacity of the composite sheet material. Approximately three ounces of such vinyl powder for each pound of said layer will form said coating or lamina of normally less than .0005 inch thick.

Sheet material after taken from a supply source may be cut to the required size, made into tea ball bags and filled with the contents T, the tea ball bags each having the coating of the said sheet material positioned on the interior surface thereof so that the border edge seams or fianges 22, 23 and 24 are sealed on placing the coating portion thereof in face to face relation and applying pressure and heat to a fusion temperature by suitably clamping means of any well known construction. With a coating or lamina formed of the partially fusioned vinyl powder, permanently sealing fusion will take place when the pressure and heat of approximately 130 C. is applied.

In manufacturing of infusion packages of tea balls and the like, it has heretofore often been found desirable to include some form of handle to manipulate the tea ball during the brewing operation which is best carried on in a cup, and also to provide a tag which bears a legend or trade mark of the manufacture, grade of tea, etc. Such handles are most frequently provided by a string handle 25 attached to the tea ball package, the free end of said string handle being terminated by a tag 26. One end 25a of the strin handle 25 may be anchored in any suitable manner to the exterior side of the package, as for example, at a mid-portion of the top closure joint seam 24 by a wire staple 21. The other or opposite end 251) of said string handle 25 may also be secured to the tag 26 in any suitable manner.

As here shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the tag 26 on the tea ball may be made of sheet material coated on one side of the heat sealing lamina which may be similar to lamina used of the tea ball 20 described above, the tag 26 being formed of a blank folded on line F with the string handle end b heat sealed between lamina surface pressed together in face to face relation in the well understood manner.

In order to eliminate dangling of the string handle 25 and tag 26 which often results in accidental tearing the package when cartoning or handling, and to provide a neat and attractive appearing tea ball 20, delivered to the user, a temporary retaining means which is reliably yet is readily loosened, is provided.

Said means may be integrally formed to extend across the top closure seal joint of tea ball 20 above the anchoring staple 2! by severing the same to the perimeter as by slit 24a, a sufiicient distance to permit insertion of a mid-portion 25d of the string handle 25 whereby a loop or fold 250 is formed to lay against one side A of the package bag while the tag 26 lays against the other or opposite side B of said bag. Said inserted mid-portion 25d of the string handle 25 in said slit'24a is thus temporarily retained therein and provides, in an attractively neat manner, a tea ball 20 for delivery to the user by eliminatin unsightly dangling tags for use as shown in Fig. 3 by simply exerting a pulling force on the tag 26.

In making tea balls on high speed tea ball manufacturing apparatus such as shown and described in applicants copending application, Ser. No. 450,289, filed July 9, 1942, now Patent No. 2,475,617, the invention may be practiced by providing an auxiliary mechanism for applying strin handles 25, staples 27 and tag 26, at the top closure heat sealed joint seam 24 of each tea ball 20 simultaneously severing said joint seam 24 to provide slit 24a while applying the staple 28 for anchoring the free end 25a of the string handle 25 after which the string handle mid-portion 25d is inserted into the slit 24a finishing tea ball 20 with the non-tangling handle and tag as shown in Figs 1 and 2 thereby permitting unobstructive advancement through said apparatus for automatic cartoning and delivering the tea balls 20 to the user in a non-tangled condition.

As stated above, the tag 26, may be readily pulled from its non-tangling position releasing the looped string handle portion 250 from its temporary retention of the portion 2511 by the engagement of the edges of the slit 24a thereby permitting string handle 26 to serve as a suspension stirring and brewing manipulating means in the well understood manner as is clear from Fig. 3.

In Fig. 5 a modified construction of the slitted means embodying the invention is shown. Here instead of extendin the slit perpendicularly to the perimeter of the top closure seam 24, said slit 34a is made in angular relation thereto so that the string handle mid-portion 25d will not be so readily dislodged from its effective position until sufiicient pulling is exerted to overcome the increased gripping force due to said angular relationship provided.

The method of practicing the method embodying the invention is now apparent. After folding over sheet material formed with heat sealed joint seams enclosing product, as for example tea T. heat and pressure is applied to form top closure joint seam 24 in the edge border of the package. The free end 25a of the string handle 25 terminated by tag 26 is then anchored by stapling in position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This step may be accomplished by using a high-speed mechanism such as disclosed in applicants copending application Ser. No. 286,785, filed May 13, 1943, now Patent No. 2,460,862, for a Wire stapling machine, wherein fixed jaw 40 has a clincher member 42 slidingly mounted thereon which coacts with a die head 35 carrying a sliding setter 38 for stapling string handle end 25a to the top closure joint seam 24 of the package inserted between said member 42 and die head 35 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. When the staple 21 is clinched the string handle end a is anchored to said top closure joint, however, it is contemplated that the improved method include the slitting the top closure joint seam 24 simultaneously while stapling by providing a blade 50 which is carried by the said clincher member 42 to cooperate with a rubber block 5| mounted on the die head over the sliding setter 38 whereby either slit 24a or 34a is produced on clinching the staple 21. Thereafter the string handle midportion 25d is inserted into said slit 24a or 340, to produce the non-tangling package 20 shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 or 5.

The tea ball 20, may preferably be constructed with the top closure joint seam 24 of the packages positioned inwardly of the edge borders a distance at least half of the width of each joint seam 24. This construction has several advantages, the principal one being that in heat sealing said top joint seams 24, the flow, during fusion of the lamina thereat, is retained within the confines of the inner surfaces of the sheet material portion forming the edge border. Thus in super high-speed manufacturing of the tea balls the heated clamping means (not shown) which permanently heat seal the top joint seams 24 are kept free from the heat sealing material, that is, molten lamina which would otherwise flow out to foul said clamping means if the heat sealed joint 24 were positioned to extend to the very edge or closer than about the distance half the width of each joint seam 24,

Another reason for locating the top closure joint seam 24 inwardly from said unsealed edge border, as shown in the drawing and described above, is to provide sufficient material for mounting the string handle portion 25d beyond the staple 21 on top closure joint seams 24 so that when said tag is pulled to detach the stringhandle 25 from its temporary fastener means in slits 24a or 34a the top closure joint seams 24 remains intact even if part of the edge borders of the tea ball 20 is torn away in said pulling operation.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an infusion package and the method of manufacture thereof whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made in the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a method of manufacturing flat sides infusion packages of folded over sheet material formed with heat sealed joint seams inclosing a product, the steps of heat sealing a top closure joint seam in the edge border of the package sheet material, stapling a free end of a string handle terminated by a tag for anchoring said free end to said top closure joint seam, slitting said seam joint from the periphery inwardly to just short of the stapled portion region simultaneously with said stapling step, and inserting a mid-portion of the string handle in said seam joint slit to provide a loop in the string handle temporarily retained to lie against one side of the infusion package and to retain the tagagainst the other side of the said package so constructed and arranged to become released on pulling the tag from said retained position to'dependingly support the package.

2. In a method of manufacturing flat side packages of folded sheet material formed with heat sealed joint seams inclosing infusion contents, the steps of heat sealing a top closure joint seam on the edge border of the package material, stapling a free end of the stringhandle terminated by a tag for anchoring said free end to the joint seam and simultaneously slitting the joint seam transversely thereof from the stapling region to the periphery keeping the joint seam intact, and inserting a portion of the string handle adjacent the tag into the slitted joint seam for frictionally engaging the string handle in the form of a loop lyingagainst one side of the package with the tag lying against the other side.

3. The manufacturing method defined in claim in which the step of heat sealing the top closure joint seam is carried out to space said joint seam inwardly of the extreme perimeter of said edge border.

4. The method defined in claim 2 in which heat sealing of the top closure joint seam is carried to a sort distance inwardly of the extreme perimeter of said edge border.

HANS O. IRMSCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 971,804 Thompson Oct. 4, 1910 1,799,006 Cooper Mar. 31, 1931 2,015,854 Ingram Oct. 1, 1935 2,291,625 Hirschhorn Aug. 4, 1942 2,406,018 Irmscher Aug. 20, 1946 2,406,137 Eaton Aug. 20, 1946 

